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|Monday
December 8, 2003 | BACK |
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WHAT ABOUT "BIG JOE"?
TORONTO - People
like to talk a lot about "ministers with experience," but I'm always
baffled by that. And these days, there is even more talk about
"ministers with experience" in anticipation of Paul Martin's first
government. But does anyone really believe that you need experience
to be part of the Cabinet?
Do you really believe that the
Ministers of Defence, Transportation or Veteran Affairs really know
everything about tanks, tracks and trenches?
If experience was a
factor in choosing the Cabinet, why are there so many names that
have never been mentioned by the media or taken into consideration
by leaders?
You want some names? Sure.
How about Dan McTeague,
Jim Karygiannis and Joe Comuzzi.
"Big Joe" Comuzzi is chair of
the Canada-U.S. Parliamentary Group, and probably the most
qualified, well-respected MP on both sides of the border with both
MPs and U.S. representatives and Senators in Congress. His access to
Capitol Hill would be instrumental in solving some of the most
difficult and important issues with the Americans. Joe Comuzzi is
considered one of the top experts in Canada on transportation
issues. He has never been recognized by Chrétien's administration
and was elected chair of the House Transportation Committee against
the wishes of the people in the Langevin Block. He has been involved
in the dispute with the U.S. over the lumber and forestry industry.
He is regularly consulted by Americans and by industry leaders on
both sides of the border, but never by his own
administration.
"Big Joe" has never been considered Cabinet
material by the old administration. His name is never mentioned by
media, the same media who criticize Paul Martin for excluding
"ministers with experience" from his first Cabinet.
Some say his
work ethic is questionable. But I wonder how an experienced MP,
ignored, humiliated for years, still has the will and the strength
to show up to meetings on the Hill and listen to some of his own
ministers talking about issues they don't know about and industries
they don't care about.
Some of those ministers are now the same
ones whining and begging to be kept in Cabinet by Paul Martin. It
looks like they must be in Cabinet by divine design; some believe
they were born to be Cabinet ministers.
In Chrétien's
administration, there were some good Cabinet ministers and, most of
them, are now accepting the change of government with dignity and
fair play. Others are putting on a pitiful show trying to avoid,
(Hear! Hear!) the "shame" of being a backbencher where their
"experience" will be wasted.
But with many of them, there is no
waste. The only thing that will be missing is the dignity to accept
the reality. The same dignity shown for over 10 years by people like
"Big Joe."
In the meantime, while Paul Martin is working on two
fronts. The first one is to demolish the present government; the
other is to build the new one. On the first front, we have seen the
first official casualties: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
Finance John Manley and Minister of Natural Resources Herb Dhaliwal.
Martin is meeting with most of them announcing the "bad news."
Moreover, it seems that Denis Coderre last week had his meeting and
that the news was not what the Minister of Immigration was hoping
for.
The job of demolishing the Cabinet was finished during the
weekend and this week, of course, Martin will complete the second
task of forming the new Cabinet.
While media are focusing this
week on Ottawa's events, a subtle earthquake is shaking the
foundation of the Liberal Party. The one that will be very soon on
the front pages is taking place in Hamilton were most of the
incumbents will be challenged. The most interesting is the fight
between Sheila Copps and Tony Valeri. The new redistribution will
merge their two ridings and there is room only for one in the future
House. According to local Liberals, the fight is going to be "ugly"
and might go beyond the political arena and end up in court. Stay
tuned. |
